Small-scale tree planting bolsters restoration in the Upper Susquehanna

The Susquehanna River is the Chesapeake Bay’s largest tributary, and it contributes about half of the estuary’s freshwater. To improve the health of the waterways that flow into the Susquehanna and on down to the Bay, local conservationists are planting stream-side trees known as forest buffers to reduce erosion, lower water temperatures and soak up polluted runoff.

Working in the farthest reaches of the Bay watershed, the Upper Susquehanna Coalition (USC) coordinates an extensive forest buffer planting team. While the organization is often planting thousands of trees and shrubs at a time, they also run a program called Trees for Tributaries that is focused on small-scale plantings on public and private lands like parks, schools and landowner property.

Launched in 2015, the Trees for Tributaries program provides free tree planting and tree maintenance to landowners within close proximity to a river or stream. By focusing on smaller community projects, the program is able to engage volunteers, incorporate conservation into public education and empower property owners to reforest their land.

A program built on community connections

As a coalition, USC is made up of 22 Soil and Water Conservation Districts that work together to protect the lands and waters of the upper Susquehanna watershed. These Soil and Water Conservation Districts have strong relationships with landowners going back decades, so when the Trees for Tributaries program was launched it was relatively easy to get the word out.

“We're trusted members of the community and it has taken a really long time to build the relationships that soil and water conservation district staff have with individual land owners,” said Lydia Brinkley, the coordinator for the USC Buffer Team.

The USC is now at the point where almost all the installations for the Trees for Tributaries program come from landowner requests with minimal outreach needed from the team. If the program isn’t a good fit for a landowner, Brinkley says that her team can use their robust network to find a suitable program.

Creating a volunteer network

Volunteerism is another important aspect of the Trees for Tributaries program. In 2021, USC hired Program Coordinator Rainier Lucas to build out the program’s volunteer network, whether that’s with local businesses and schools or individual community members interested in conservation.

According to Ranier, accessibility is crucial when planning volunteer programs. At one event, Ranier worked with a local partner to have adults with disabilities participate in a buffer planting. To make this possible, Ranier ordered more mature trees that were less fragile and easier to plant. He and his team also dug the tree holes before the event started.

So far USC has engaged hundreds of volunteers through the Trees for Tributaries Program and plants around 5,000 trees each season. Their engagement with community members is helping to build environmental stewards who are passionate about protecting their local waters.

Working with schools

Creating relationships with local schools has been particularly beneficial for the Trees for Tributaries program. When a group of students participates in a volunteer tree planting, USC knows how many volunteers there will be which takes the guesswork out of the event planning. The organization can also host volunteer events on weekdays when working with students which is otherwise difficult to plan.

Engaging school students often leads to multiple classes who desire to be involved in tree planting. The USC hosted an event recently at a school where several classes participated and they worked with over 170 students!

The volunteer events are also a good opportunity for students to learn about the importance of tree planting and local conservation. Tree plantings can be incorporated into Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEEs), which teachers all across the Chesapeake Bay watershed are encouraged to use in their curriculum. Teachers participating in the Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) Program are often interested in participating in tree plantings.

Creating a more resilient watershed one tree at a time

While the Trees for Tributaries program might focus on smaller scale plantings, the community benefits make the program a critical part of USC’s overall work. In addition to their forest buffer work, the organization has an Agriculture Team, Stream Team and Wetland Team that are all working to address water quality within the upper Susquehanna River region.

To learn more about the Upper Susquehanna Coalition, visit the organization’s website.